Duane Morris LLP has hired two partners from Verrill Dana LLP who have extensive experience handling intellectual property cases, including defending client patents and fighting off patent trolls, the firm said Wednesday.

Duane Morris said Timothy R. Shannon and Seth S. Coburn will work in the intellectual property practice group at the firm's Boston office, joining as partners. [...]

Coburn and Shannon have known each other for a decade working at Verrill Dana, sometimes working together on patent troll cases and patent disputes. Both share a deep interest in emerging technologies and told Law360 on Thursday that's what motivated them to dive into the world of patents.

"I come from a family of engineers so I was interested in technology early on," Shannon said, adding that he "fell in love" with patent litigation after taking a course in law school.

Coburn said he became interested in technology while in undergrad after taking a class called "How Things Work."

"It was by far the most interesting class I had taken in college," he said. [...]

On patent troll cases, Coburn and Shannon have also been part of joint-defense groups that collaborate on litigation strategies because patent trolls often sue multiple defendants at the same time and in the same court.

"These joint defense groups can be very productive," Coburn said. "They present an opportunity for a variety of attorneys to come together, test their ideas, share ideas, and work together to find the best resolution for everyone."

It was through one of these joint-defense team efforts that Coburn and Shannon first worked with Duane Morris attorneys.

"These were team-oriented people who were smart and sophisticated," Shannon said. "That was a real draw."

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